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Safety rating trumps Skoda jokes in NZ

The rust and reliability jokes were in their hundreds, but now the much-maligned car maker Skoda is being lauded as a safety leader on New Zealand roads.

The Skoda Octavia - which can be bought new from around $NZ35,000 ($A31,555) - is the latest vehicle to receive top marks from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program, and is being praised by the Automobile Association and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

AA motoring services general manager Stella Stocks says the Octavia offers a range of safety options usually seen on much more expensive vehicles, and the AA wants more car makers to do the same.

"It is fantastic to see that Skoda provides adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive front lighting systems and fatigue detection as options for their customers."

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The NZTA's Celia Patrick says the range of affordable top safety-rated cars is continuing to grow in New Zealand.

"With today's safety technology five star ratings are increasingly becoming the norm, and we urge people to buy the safest vehicle they can afford."

Skodas were first imported into New Zealand from the then Czechoslovakia and attracted derision in NZ and around the world for their reliability and styling.

The jokes included: "Why do Skodas have heated rear windscreens? To keep your hands warm while you're pushing it" and "What do you call a Skoda with a sun roof? A skip."

Volkswagen bought Skoda in 1991 and has managed to turn around its performance and image.